Throughout the scriptures we can find time and time again how God has saved us. Throughout the scriptures we can find man being insufficient to stand before God on his/her own doings. Throughout scripture we can find God reminding us where we once stood with Him. The scripture is so clear in stating that it is the work of Christ on the cross that saves us and not the doing of the ordinances.

In this day and age, as well as the time past, we have a problem very similar to the problems of the Colossians. We work to get right with God. This is so far from the truth of the scripture. As a matter of fact this is in complete contradiction as to who God is. We can never do enough to get right with the Lord Almighty. The reason we have to use this name Lord Almighty is because it denotes to us that God, Himself, is all powerful.

Let us look to the scriptures in order to help us understand. Through one verse we will learn both the power of the cross and the weightiness of the ordinances.

Colossians 2:14, “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.”

The very first word of this verse is “blotting.” If we begin to examine this word we will find there is hope. Paul tells the people that the handwriting of ordinances, which by the way were against us, were blotted out. This word means to have removed, erased, wiped away, canceled, or my favorite obliterated. The hand writing of ordinances were removed from our charge. This gave to the Colossians as well to us here today the hope of forgiveness. You see, the blotting out was not of our good work. It was not because of all the great things that they or we could do. The blotting out or obliteration of ordinances was done through the work of Christ on the cross.

The great thing about the scripture is that you can use other scripture to solidify in your mind and heart the truth of Colossians 2:14. Go back one verse and we will see the position of the unsaved person and the way to become saved.

Colossians 2:13, “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses.”

“And you” directs our attention to who Paul was talking to. He was addressing the believers at Colosse. He continues on to explain that they were dead in their sins and uncircumcision of flesh. Sin is anything contrary to the glory of God. Lying, cheating, stealing, and murder are just a few things that would set the people against who He is. But we also have to remember that we as people, because of what Adam did in the garden, are now born in total opposition to who God is (Psalm 51:5 also review Romans 3:23). This was not just a message to the Colossians but we find a very similar reminder to the Ephesians in chapter 2:1.

“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.”

From this we can see that we too are in the same category. This term of being dead in sins doesn’t denote being physically dead but rather spiritually. And this is exactly what Paul was telling the Colossians. They were in a bad position with the Lord, but the exciting part is in the latter part of the verse. They were quickened (brought to life) together with him, having forgiven all trespasses. You can’t be with Christ unless you are made perfect. Hint: the word all trespasses. In other words you can’t stand before a perfect and holy God until you have been made perfect. And that could only be achieved through the work of Christ on the cross. Only Christ Himself could be able to pay the sin debt for you and I.

Christ blotted out the ordinances that were against us. The ordinances being the law that was contrary to who we are as an unsaved people. This handwriting of ordinances is like an indictment written up against a prisoner. These are some serious charges to the Colossians. This is basically like a death certificate. But guess what? Christ blotted them out! He took the law that neither we nor the Colossians were able to uphold, because they being perfect were contrary to who we are as sinners, and nailed it to the cross.

This work, as you can clearly see, was done all by Christ on the cross and not by our doing. We have nothing to do with it other than enjoying the privileges from His work. Through this one verse we were able to see that the power of Christ on the cross is far greater then our inadequate work of trying to uphold the ordinances or law.